Hermione's Greatest Gift
by Professor Evans
Summary: Harry is going off to fight the war and is leaving without and heir. Hermione makes an offer to carry his child and continue the Potter line in case he doesn't make it.


Ok, here is a little story a came up with while reading a few challenge stories. Harry is going off to fight the war and is leaving without and heir. Hermione makes an offer to carry his child.

A/N: Hermione was born in 1980 instead of 1979 making her sixteen turning seventeen in this story.

I own nothing.

* * *

It was a cool August night as a seventeen year old Harry sat on the couch in the Gryffindor common room. He was staring absent-mindedly into the dieing fire. He looked over as the clock stuck eight. In ten hours, he would be leaving to join the fight against Voldemort. He did not know how long he would be gone for or if he would even come back. He sighed before turning back to the fire.

"I can't believe the Potter line is going to end," he said quietly to himself.

He did not notice Hermione standing by the stairs, He did not notice when she took a few quiet steps towards the portrait hole, and he did not notice when she returned fifteen minutes late clutching a vile in her hand.

Hermione took a deep breath, walked over to the couch, and sat down next to him. Harry did not even cast a gaze in her direction. She took a deep breath again before speaking.

"I heard what you said and I'm willing to make you an offer. I will carry an heir for you. If you are interested met me in the head boy's chamber in fifteen minutes."

Harry blinked and nodded his head softly before Hermione got up and walked away. He listened for her footsteps and listened until he could hear them no more. He sat there until he was sure fifteen minutes had passed. He stood up and started to climb the stairs. He counted the steps and when he reached the door he knocked softly before opened the door.

He looked over to the bed and smiled slightly. Hermione was lying on her side with the sheet covering her body. Harry stood there looking at her, his gaze casting over her soft face and bare shoulders. He took one last gaze of her face before walking over to the bed. He took a deep breath before removing his shirt. He paused for a moment before removing his pants and his boxers. He slipped into the bed and lay down next to her.

"Are you sure about this?" He asked her.

Hermione turned over and looked to him, nodding her head.

"Yes Harry, I want to do this for you"

Harry looked to her before slowly moving himself on top of her. He leaned down and kissed her softly.

"Thank you" he said before kissing her again.

* * *

Harry awoke the nest morning and looked over to Hermione. It was the best night's sleep he had in a long time. He reached over and placed a soft kissed on her cheek careful not to wake her.

"I love you Hermione. I'm sorry I never got the chance to tell you properly"

He got up and dressed in his clothes that were left on the floor and quietly left. Hermione opened her eyes and looked to the door, a single tear running down her face.

"I love you too Harry"

* * *

Hermione knew within two weeks she was pregnant. The morning sickness was the sign. She would eat what she could before throwing it up minutes later. Lucky enough Madame Pomfrey had given her nourishment supplying potions during her first check up. Hermione took one of the potions before washing her mouth out.

"God that woman is a life saver" she said tossing the empty vile away.

The next sign was the mood swings. Those started appearing when she started crying because she couldn't fit into her favorite jeans anymore. It happened worse when Ginny confronted Hermione about her weight gain. It didn't stop there either.

"Well well well, someone is getting a little chubby in the middle" Ginny snickered to her.

Hermione turned around and faced her.

"Well at least I'm not worried about it. I'm pregnant what's your excuse?"

Ginny's face started to turn red and she muttered slut.

"Oh don't be upset because Harry chose me to carry his heir" Hermione said with a smirk.

"Please he only chose you because you were easy. He has to fight for this" Ginny said while crossing her arms over her chest.

"Trust my Hun. its not worth the battle" Hermione said before walking away, Leaving a fuming Ginny standing there.

It was three months since Harry left and no one heard a word since. Hermione was starting to show. Her morning sickness passed but then the cravings started. Waking up in the middle of the night and sneaking down into the kitchen to look for anything that had chocolate or strawberries. Dobby had finally caught on and was leaving all sorts of sweets on Hermione's nightstand table to save her from the walk. Hermione was ever grateful.

She had found way to keep herself busy. She would help Madame Pomfrey prepare potions, Professor McGonagall prepare lessons, she was even helping Professor Snape come up with a stronger form of wolfsbane.

By the fifth month she gave up putting enlargement charms on her clothes and was escorted by Remus, Fred, and George to pick up maternity clothes. Much to the men's dismay, she ended up dragging them into a baby store and looking at everything. The twins treated her to a nursery set, toys, books, clothing, and accessories on the promise that she would allow the child to carry on the pranksters name. She agreed after much begging from the twins.

Then it happened, while lying on the couch reading _Hogwarts; A History _she felt it. A soft thud from the inside. She placed her book down and placed her hands on her swollen stomach. Her baby just kicked. She loved it at first but then it turned out that when she was trying to sleep the baby made sure that it was awake and kicking.

"Oh please baby, just go to sleep. Mummy is tired" she mumbled to her stomach one night only to be answered with another kick.

By the seventh month sleep became harder and she found herself sleeping when ever she could. Most times on the couch in the head's common room. She was glad that the school was closed shortly after the term started. Death eater attacks became more frequent and the professor shipped the children and families off to other counties to keep them safe.

Hermione enjoyed the feeling the came with being pregnant. Even in her ninth month and coming closer to her due date. She enjoyed reading stories to her baby and telling it stories of her days in Hogwarts. She was in the process of telling on of those stories when she heard a tapping at her window. A snowy while owl sat on the sill, clutching a letter in her beak.

"Hegwig" she said happily.

She heaved herself off of the couch and removed the letter. Watching Hedwig fly off before opening the letter. A key and a ring fell into her hand before she opened the letter.

_Dear Hermione,_

_I wish I could be there for you during this difficult time but I want our baby to grow up in a world without the threat of Voldemort hanging over everyone's head._

_I've finally found him after destroying all the pieces of his soul he split and hid in various items. Tomorrow I head in to battle him and end this once and for all. _

_If I don't make it I have enclosed the key to my vault and the Potter family ring. If I don't make it they are yours until our child turns seventeen. Please tell our child how much I love it. I owe you everything Hermione._

_Love always and till the end,_

_Harry_

Hermione held the letter to her chest before she felt it. A twinge of pain but she shrugged it off as nothing before calling it a night. She climbed into bed and tried to get some sleep for the night.

She awoke in the middle of the night from pain. She rolled over to her back and grasped her stomach. Breathing deeply before reaching over and grabbing the emergency portkey to the hospital wing. She landed in the wing and setting off the alarms. Madame Pomfrey came running out.

"What's wrong Miss. Granger?"

"It's time" she said in between gritted teeth.

Madame Pomfrey went into full healer mode. Pulling her over to a bed and preparing her tools. Placing a wash cloth on her forehead and retreating to her office before returned shortly afterwards with a few potions and Professor McGonagall.

"Oh it hurts" Hermione cried out as another contraction started.

Madame Pomfrey gave her a slight pain relieving potion. Minerva grabbed her hand and stood there for emotional support. Madame Pomfrey prepared a blanket and a wash cloth before lifting the blanket up and nodding slightly.

"Almost there Hermione. You'll be able to start pushing soon"

"Just get this thing out of me!" she screamed while tightening her grasp on her professor's hand.

Madame Pomfrey sat down and nodded.

"Ok start pushing"

Hermione screamed as the pain of a contraction mixed with her child ripping out her inside filled her body. She fell back on the bed and gasped for breath. Minerva dabbed her head with the cool wash cloth.

"And again" Madame Pomfrey said

Hermione shot her a glare and if looks could kill, the healer would be dead on the spot. Hermione pulled herself up and started to push again.

"If Potter lives, I'm going to kill him!" she screamed.

"I see the head, just a few more pushes" the healer said.

Hermione screamed and pushed as hard as she could before falling back on to the bed.

"Just one more push"

Hermione pushed again and was welcomed by the sound of crying. Madame Pomfrey cut the cord and wrapped the baby up. She cleaned the baby off before hand it to its mother.

"Congratulations Miss. Granger. it's a girl. Seven pounds,13 ounces, 20 inches long. Date of birth May 17, 1998 at 2:12 am"

Hermione looked to her daughter as a tired smiled graced her face. There was no denying who her parents were. A tuft of jet black hair graced her head and emerald green eyes looked to her mother.

"My nose, her father's mouth, her paternal grandmother's face" she said softly as she ran her finger softly along her face.

Hermione knew that for all the hard work, this was the greatest gift she could have given Harry.

"Welcome to the world Alexis Lilly Potter" Hermione said softly to her.

"Come along Minerva, I shall have you hand fixed in a jiffy" Madame Pomfrey said leaving mother and child alone.

Minerva nodded and followed the healer, cradling her hand with a few broken fingers. She turned and looked to her star pupil and smiled softly before walking off.

* * *

_Four Years Later_

Hermione tucked her daughter into her bed and kissed her softly on the forehead.

"Will you tell me a story Mummy?" The little girl asked.

"Sure Princess, what would you like to hear?" Hermione asked sitting down at the edge of the bed.

"How Daddy rescued you from the troll in your first year of Hogwarts"

Hermione smiled before stating to tell the story of how Harry Potter saved her that night.

"Your father was the bravest man I knew" she finished.

She watched as her daughter let out a yawn and snuggled deeper into her blankets. Hermione reached over and kissed her on the forehead again before waving her wand and putting the lights out. She left and closed the door leaving it opened just a crack before turning around. A pair of arms wrapped around her and kissed her softly on the neck.

"You are always so wonderful with her. She has a wonderful mother" the man said.

"Oh I know" Hermione replied

Hermione turned and looked at her love in the eyes. The man smiled before kissing her on the lips and resting a hand on her swollen stomach.

"I love you Hermione" the man said to her.

"I love you too Harry" Hermione said while smiling.

Harry wrapped his arm around her waist and led her downstairs. The couple passed many photos of a little girl with her mother and father before passing a painting of the couple smiling happily, Hermione in a white gown and Harry and a tux holding on to their baby girl at their wedding.

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Please Read and Review and let me know what you think.


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